


Santa Mars

by flashforeward



Category: Eerie Indiana
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-11
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-06 03:57:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5402177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flashforeward/pseuds/flashforeward
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marshall has to atone for his mistakes. This month, he's Santa.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Santa Mars

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Dance Contest](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/162281) by Froodle. 



> For the Eerie Advent Calender. Prompt: Ritual.

Once monthly, at the new moon, Marshall Teller must trek out to the shores of lake Eerie where the Werewolves and Unicorns await him. In the lake, the merpeople and the pirates watch, excited to see what the Unicorns and Werewolves will make this human boy do this month. Dash and Simon stay home, not because they don't want to go, but because Mars doesn't want to risk either of them getting cursed by angry mythological beasts, too. Well. He doesn't want to risk Simon getting cursed. As far as Dash is concerned, Mars just doesn't want to deal with his ridicule.

The Unicorns and Werewolves are waiting for him tonight. He walks out of the woods, standing amongst them, waiting for them to decide what he will have to do this year. Usually they're still arguing when he arrives, but tonight they are eerily quiet, all eyes on him.

"Welcome, human creature," the head Unicorn says. Her voice has an echo that makes Marshall shiver. "Are you ready for your penance?"

Marshall looks around at the gathered mythical creatures, then looks back to the head Unicorn and gives a quick nod.

"Tomorrow, you will be Santa at the Eerie Mall," the Unicorn says.

"O...kay," Mars says. He's trying to figure out how precisely that's an embarrassment and how he lucked out so well if it isn't. Because he can't see how it would be. Still, he tries to keep his relief off his face and out of his voice because he didn't want them to pick something worse.

\--

The next evening, Mars sits stock still on the couch while Dash and Simon try to figure out if he's okay. It had been a day full of screaming, yelling, entitlement, and sticky fingers. Sure, most of the kids were great, but the ones that weren't. Well. Mars is pretty sure his left ear will never hear the same again, and there's a distinct possibility that an unpleasant encounter with an angry toddler and his lollipop has lead to the Santa beard being permanently attached to Marshall's face.

He's afraid to try and get it off.

He is also, grudgingly, impressed by the Unicorns and the Werewolves and their choice of humiliation this month.


End file.
